Siena is for me, always the jewel in a Medieval land, and continues to inspire me. The "Albergo Cannon d'Oro" in which we stayed was at one time a former palace owned by the noble Bulgarini family until 1262. The halls meandered in a maze of many directions, up and down a variety of levels of stone steps. The room was simple, sparse, unairconditioned, but clean. A gander of American nuns in blue habits were also guests of the hotel, seemingly fitting in this setting.

A short walk downhill the stone-paved street lined with elegant shops took us directly to the Piazza del Campo, the semi-circular Place where the Palio (bareback horse race) takes place every year on July 2 and August 16. For me, this is Italy's most alluring and beautiful piazza. Even the guidebooks agree. Its special shape of nine segments designed to reflect the authority of the Council of Nine and symbolize the protective folds of the Madonna's cloak began in 1293. Today, the red brick paving on an angle to a center point creates a natural theater, with all eyes on the Palazzo Pubblico and its tall thin tower (the Torre del Mangia), as young and old alike laze on the brick or in the bordering cafés.

Not far away is the Duomo of black and white marble striping, one of Italy's greatest cathedrals. Had the 14th-century plans to create a new nave come to fruition, it would have become the largest church in Christendom. There is a small charge of 3€ to enter now, which no one seems to mind, as a visit is well worth the price of admission.

In this magical place, I must add that "synchronicity" seems to continue to play a role in my life, having been in the same place three times with the same tourists -- a distinctive looking bearded man with his pregnant (I assume) wife. First we passed them in the Duomo in Florence, then again in the Duomo in Siena and miraculously at a nearby table in the same restaurant on a back street of Siena. I have vowed that should we connect a fourth time, I will not hesitate to strike up a conversation.

A wrong turn once out of Siena the next morning turned out to be a lucky mistake taking us deep into the countryside, where we found fields upon fields of sunflowers and beautiful stone farmhouses. It was worth the extra 30 minutes of travel time to get a glimpse of Umbrian landscape. 

On route to Assisi, we stopped in Perugia for a brief visit and lunch. If I had taken time before leaving for Italy to research restaurant recommendations, we would have taken less risks with our dining experiences. Instead, we used our noses to ferret out those that seemed to be non-touristed and lucked out more often than not. On this occasion, we ventured down a flight of stairs to find a very nice restaurant on a terrace with a beautiful view of the hillside and a magnificent array of antipasti dishes "della casa." 

While we were ordering our meal, four American couples with their teenage kids entered and positioned themselves at two large tables. Up until that moment, the scene was serene, then of course, the atmosphere took a U-turn. We chuckled to ourselves as our compatriots ordered mountains of French fries with ketchup and then heard one young girl exclaim, "I just LOVE ketchup!" We supposed that some habits are just too hard to break. It became our theme song throughout the remainder of the trip: "I just LOVE ketchup!"

At the main post office of Perugia down the street, we took in a few letters to mail that ended up becoming a 25-minute errand. Employing a very sophisticated system, we were told to take a number and wait for it to be called by watching the LED displayed numbers above each window. Once it was our turn, the clerk took the time to read the address and notations and make comment on each. When I asked for a receipt, the sophisticated system broke down. Out came a big pad of paper, carbon paper, a rubber stamp and the clerk's signature. The contrast was comical and we understood immediately why something that should have taken 5 minutes to accomplish took 5 times as long. 

Assisi was the highlight of the entire ten-day adventure, thanks to our American friend, who showed us her adopted city from an insider's point of view. Assisi is was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order there in 1208. This ancient religious and spiritual spot on the planet is visited by pilgrims and tourists of all ages and nationalities wanting to get a glimpse of Saint Frances' tomb, the Giotto frescoes and the Cathedral of San Rufino among other important sights.

While there is an inordinate number of religious figures in Assisi -- priests, monks and nuns, I was amazed also at the number of pilgrims -- from young scouts to a few barefoot, and sometimes robed devoted spirits. There is no question of the enormous presence of spirituality of this particular dot in the world and why so many venture there, including our friend who has found a certain peace and purpose in life. The message of peace, the prayer of St. Frances, who asked the Lord to make him an instrument of his peace. Regardless of faith, we should all take to this to heart. It seems so fruitless in today's world, with little true peace to speak of, as we watch the images of the war and destruction taking place in the Middle East, the vortex of the spiritual world.

Our friend took us on an excursion one afternoon up a winding rocky road to the top of the Mount Subasio nearby where we could see the cattle and long-haired horses on the plains. Below were breathtaking views of the valley. Sun-bathers were tanning at the top. Making a circle, we traveled to the beautiful little village of Spello, where annually in June, they celebrate the "Infiorata" (flower) festival in the medieval streets. There in a quiet café, we showed the patron how to make real American style iced coffee while all the locals watched her concoct the brew. Made with good Italian coffee, it was better than delicious, particularly on this hot Umbrian day. 

Leaving Assisi and our friend behind us, we took a detour on route to Rome through Montefalco where we were told to drink the water eight saints were born there...and through Todi, a beautiful village high on a hill with two piazzas that join at one corner. I have a particular affection for this tiny part of Italy which we discovered more than 20 years ago thanks to close friends, both of whom have since died of cancer. It will forever hold a special place in my heart and memory.

Our only experience on the Autostrada took us from Todi to Rome. Entering Rome is similar to entering Paris...all roads seem to lead there...and without too much difficulty, found our Bed and Breakfast, was able to park and unload our luggage. We then proceeded to return the rental car to Hertz at the train station, an enormous and surly place bustling with the activity of tourists and the inactivity of the homeless. It was liberating to be released from the burden of the car in a city of such magnitude and off we went to see the sights.

Rain did not deter the tourists at the Trevi Fountain, and while the streets off the beaten tourist path were deserted, the main sights of Rome were as busy as those of Paris with people from all parts of the globe. Hoards were sitting around the statuary and fountains of the Piazza Navona, on the steps of the Piazza d'Espagna and shopping in the chic boutiques of the Via dei Condotti.

One of the downsides of traveling at a time of year when the rest of the world has the same inclination is of course, just that -- everyone around you is a tourist, too. We tried desperately to find some respite from the maddening crowd, to no avail. Relinquishing, we sealed our journey with our reflections on Italy, the food, the sights and the Italians on the whole.

Graffiti is absolutely everywhere -- in every irreverent space. Even in the small towns, walls do not go unmutilated. It seemed to pointless and disrespectful, yet we know there is little that can be done about it, unless of course, the government were to crack down on the offenders in a serious way. We have no hope of that.

All our accommodations were booked in advance on the Internet, except for our stay in Assisi, which was arranged by our friend who lives there. Our goal was to spend less than 100€ per night, be center city, have air-conditioning and if possible, a bath tub. The site I found the best for reserving via the Internet was RomeBy.com, FlorenceBy.com, SienaBy.com -- WorldBy.com sites. Requests and reservations were confirmed online and all we had to do was show up, then pay by credit card.

When traveling by car, I learned to also allow for parking expense, which was as high as 24€ a day in Florence. In Siena, getting to and from the lot was an excursion half-way around the city and then by foot up and down the steep hills to the hotel. The stay in Assisi was actually in Santa Maria...just outside of Assisi and provided parking free of charge. All in all, we had inordinate luck with the car. Our "Fix-It-Again-Tony" took us far and wide without a hitch -- no thievery, no fender-benders, no flat tires. 

Ten days in Italy was plenty enough to fully realize our appreciation of life in Paris, in France and with the French. I found myself looking forward to a meal without pasta so I could regain my girlish figure. We began to desire the French sense of order in exchange for the anarchy of Italian life. While one can enjoy the warmth and friendliness of the Italians, one must be wary of being taken advantage of in small and petty ways, at which the French aren't very inclined.

What will be my everlasting memories from these ten days under the Tuscan sun and in the shade of Umbria?...fields of sunflowers, frothy cappuccinos, swirling plates of pasta, tall creamy gelati, beautiful tanned and muscular men, beautiful art, stunning statuary and the heat.

Adrian Leeds is the editor of Parler Paris Newsletter, French Property Insider E-zine, and author of the Leeds Good Value Guide to Paris Restaurants of the Insider Paris Guides. She is the co-coordinator of the Parler French-English Conversation group and host of a series of seminars and conferences including Invest in France, Living in France and Working, Living and Investing in France here in Paris and the United States. Most importantly, she and a team of professionals offer a wide range of French property consultation services. Adrian is the author of the Adrian Leeds World Famous Paris Restaurant Guide -